Isabella von Carstein
The wife of Warhammer Fantasy's resident Vlad the Implier proxy, Vlad von Carstein. Unlike her counterparts however, Isabella is THE woman for her man. The "wives of Vlad" here simply refers to Isabella's many party dresses. She's stated to be one of the most beautiful humans to have ever (un)lived.
The Legend
A long time ago, in the Empire there was a land called Sylvania. Sylvania was known for two things: decadent nobility that bordered on Slaaneshi debauchery and peasantry so oppressed that even Bretonnian peasants would order them around with noses in the air (as befitting the French). The Elector Count of the region was a man named Otto von Drak, known for being a batshit insane asshole who thought he was Sigmar reborn and would cheer himself up after a hard day of drinking and grousing about how shitty his homeland and everyone in it with having random servants and peasants tortured to death and impaled. Not exactly a sweet guy if you got to know him either, he had been unable to produce a male heir and he absolutely DETESTED the idea his brother Leopold von Drak would take the rulership of his house. On his deathbed, he shunned the administrations of priests and instead spent his final days cursing his misfortune, claiming famously he would rather marry his eldest daughter Isabella von Drak to a Daemon than let Leopold succeed him after failing to find a Sylvanian noble worthy to take over his house that was eligible. Not long after this, a man claiming to be a member of distant Empire nobility (with an accent that those of the court believed to be of Kislev origin) appeared and presented himself to Otto. He said his name was Vlad von Carstein, and after giving his self-introduction asked to marry Isabella. Otto accepted out of desperation and his priest married them that night with Otto dead by morning. Leopold was found around the same time having mysteriously fallen off the highest tower at the von Drak estate around the same time making Isabella the last von Drak.
Vlad immediately dismissed the Sigmarite priest, and repurposed the von Drak chapel. This continued village to village, until the worship of Sigmar was all but gone from the realm barring peasant shrines. Although the Sylvanians distrusted him due to being a foreigner who had eccentric habits such as only coming out at night and dining alone, he gained popularity by purging the nobles that had adopted Chaos worship and ridding the land of bandits and outlaws. Peasants still disappeared from time to time, but for the first time Sylvania had a ruler who wouldn't decorate his fence with the heads of men, women, and children because he stubbed his toe. Vlad quickly became beloved by the masses, and with the disappearance of every embezzling nobleman Sylvania became more prosperous. What was once the poorest province became the wealthiest, and throughout the Empire jealousy and admiration were inspired at the mention of the name von Carstein. Anytime Vlad visited nobility that didn't die from mysterious disease during his stay (symptoms include bloodlessness and a broken neck) they would pick up his little eccentricities, and be graciously given the right to consider themselves a member of his ever-expanding line. Previously well-behaved nobles would sometimes require a second visit if they saw this gift as an excuse to return to old family habits; these spoiled children would find themselves put in a time-out. In their family crypt. With boulders trapping them in. See: Vargheists.
Having secured his position, Vlad and Isabella spent more and more time together. She knew he was a vampire from the start of course, but hated her father so she sided with him from day one. She gave Vlad the names of the insubordinate nobles, he solved the problems. As time went on she and him had grown closer until they were actually genuinely in love.
She became very aware of herself aging next to him, growing from girlhood into the body of a woman and realizing time was running out to be the same physical age category as her husband. She begged Vlad to vamp her, but he refused time and time again.
One night, while Vlad was away drinking Chaos Cultists like mixer shots paying a visit to his admirers (who tragically died while he was there) Isabella took deathly ill and sent a message to her husband calling him to her deathbed. It's implied she may have poisoned herself, but either way Vlad crossed a nation in one night and from that point on, Isabella was a lady who enjoyed the night life.
After two hundred years of ruling Sylvania and improving it, Vlad and Isabella saw their chance to seize power. The Empire was in a state of civil war as three different claimants to the throne warred. Vlad called a feast with mandatory attendance for the remaining nobles that could not be trusted to not fuck up when he turned his head. Isabella lead the turned nobility in a feast while Vlad stood on top of the tower Leopold fell to his death from and read from a Book of Nagash, raising the dead of Sylvania. Vlad and Isabella's army of zombies and skeletons marched alongside the living armies of Sylvania, loyal to the only masters they'd ever known (seen as liberators from the past tyrants).
Every army, city, town and village their armies encountered were given an ultimatum. Swear fealty to Vlad and be unharmed (although their cemetery would be emptied as replacement forces) or be slaughtered to the last and become reinforcements themselves. They were quick to deliver upon their promise and be gone whichever was chosen. In some battles, Vlad was seemingly killed. Every time, he arose again. His magic ring provided him with the ability to tether his spirit to the world while Isabella (who mostly stayed with their loyal Necromancers as something of a medic) oversaw the rites to restore Vlad's body.
In the final battle at Altdorf, Vlad's only legitimate rival to the throne Ludwig was preparing to surrender when the Grand Theogonist (Sigmar pope) Wilhelm the 3rd was granted a vision showing the ring as Vlad's source of invulnerability. After months of siege, Wilhelm sent the greatest thief of the age to steal Vlad's ring. During the days battle, Wilhelm tackled Vlad off the ramparts of the city and they both fell on defensive stakes used by infantry, killing him permanently. Isabella, hearing what had happened, killed herself similarly to be with him. Ludwig's forces were withdrawn in order to deal with the invasion of the two remaining claimants, letting the remaining von Carsteins (notably Konrad von Carstein and Mannfred von Carstein) as well as the surviving undead retreat back to Sylvania.
End Times
Vlad was resurrected by Nagash and declared to be the greatest vampire who had ever lived, much to Mannfred's frustration. Vlad only agreed to serve Nagash on the condition that Isabella was resurrected, proving that Vlad's only true motivation in life is Isabella. Along the way, Vlad actually DEFENDED Altdorf and was made official Elector Count of Sylvania again in return for his service.
Unfortunately, she was resurrected by Nurgle, bound with a Nurgle daemon, and given a power that works against undead so Nurgle can have his vengeance against them.
On The Tabletop
Isabella is part of the infamous Vlad/Isabella combo where if one dies, the survivor becomes more powerful (unlike their fluff). Said survivor tends to be Vlad after Isabella is used as a sacrificial lamb due to his superior killyness and resurrection powers, once again breaking lore.
The problem with Isabella by herself was being essentially a weak Hero levrl Vampire with no important upgrades. Her only benefit was a magic item chalice allowing her to let another vampire in her unit drink from it and restore a Wound. She paid too much for an iffy power, and thus was in no way worth using unless the plan was to buff Vlad with her death. With the End Times 50% character allowance this strategy is more viable (ironically). If one wishes to use a "V+I 4ever "army, using Isabella's model in an Undead Legion list with Mortarch Vlad is the only viable way. A proper von Carstein list of the era should use Corpse Carts as Vlad and Isabella were the first to use them, Black Coaches as they are the mainstay of Sylvanian vampires, and Vargheists/Varghulfs as the von Carsteins created them by locking naughty vampires in tombs until they went feral from thirst. Be sure to include some Empire troops proxying things to represent the loyal living humans of Sylvania.
